One Day We All Have to Say Goodbye

It’s not something we like to think about. Sometimes goodbye is only for a moment, sometimes a day, a week, a year. But sometimes goodbye is forever. 

This thought crossed Shiori’s mind as she sat in the school gymnasium waiting for the graduation ceremony to start. She had attended high school with almost all of the same students with the exception of the few that came and the few that went. She had never really become close to any of them though so she couldn’t figure out why she felt a sense of sadness knowing that some of these people she may never see again. Maybe it was familiarity. She knew these hallways, these classrooms and these faces, but soon, she would be attending university and there would be new hallways, rooms and faces to learn and recognize.

She shrugged off the thought. Familiar things didn’t matter when she hadn’t made any friends or memories here anyway. All she ever did was study anyway…

She was snapped away from her thoughts as the graduation ceremony commenced. Shiori and her classmates went through their typical high school ceremony and when it was over she looked around. Friends were hugging each other, giving encouragement to each other for the future, wishing each other the best and making promises to stay in touch.

Shiori rolled her eyes knowing that most of those promises would be false. Don’t these people know, one day, we all have to say goodbye? This stuff doesn’t last forever. What silly people.

After Shiori was able to get away she managed to make it back to her favorite room in the entire school. The library. She spent her entire life here it seemed. She was always here, mostly for studying, but sometimes for just the enjoyment of a wonderful book in which she could immerse herself into another world and be somebody different.

She walked slowly through the library enjoying the smell of books old and new and remembering which ones were her favorite to read. As she turned to walk down another row of books, she noticed someone else standing there looking at the shelves.

Startled, she quickly turned away and went to another aisle of books to examine. The boy she had seen followed her.

“I’m sorry if I startled you,” He said. “I was just in here looking for a book to read over the break, I didn’t think anyone else would be in here.” He smiled at her.

Her heart skipped a beat. When was the last time anyone had really even spoken to her?

“N-no. I-it’s no problem at all…I was just…um…I was just looking for a book as well…” She stammered, her face blushing brightly.

Why was she even talking to this guy? He obviously hadn’t just graduated like she had. There was no point in talking and making friends now. She would be moving on soon and there was no point in getting to know someone she would have to say goodbye to.

“By the way, I’m Yuki.” He said, still smiling at her.

“Oh! I, uh, I’m Shiori…” She responded quietly, looking down at her feet.

“Nice to meet you Shiori! Well, I’ll just grab what I was looking for and be on my way.” He grabbed a book off of the shelf and headed toward the door.

“I, um! W-wait!” Shiori shouted after him. What am I doing!? I can’t make a friend now! I can’t even like someone now! No way! Why do I feel this way?

(Another unfinished story for now, but I like where this one is going too, but it’s getting late and I need to get some sleep!)